Fish bait



Auge 22, QS J, RUDY 2,5Z95

FISH BAIT Filed Aug. 30, 1948 Jay B. Rudy INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 22V, 1950 UNITED STATES pA'rsNrorrlcE l l FISH BAIT Jay B. Rudy, New Philadelphia, ohio Application August 30, 1948, Serial No. 46,765

`This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in fish baits, and the principal object of the invention is to prevent the hook or hooks of the bait from catching on weeds and similar submerged obstacles.

This object is achieved by the provision of a fish bait wherein the hooks are swingable from a retracted to a projected operative position, matters beingvso arranged that the hooks are retracted while the bait is being drawn through water, but become automatically projected as soon as a fish attempts to swallow the bait.

, An important feature of the invention, therefore, resides in the provision of means for automatically projecting the fish hooks into a catching engagement with the month of the fish as soon as the fish closes its mouth in attempting to swallow the bait.

An additional feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for releasably retaining the iish hooks in their retracted position, so that they do not become entangled with weeds and the like.

An important advantage of the invention resides in its life-like appearance, since the retracted iish hooks are disposed adjacent the sides of the bait and being unobtrusive, do not lend an impression of artiiiciality to the bait as a whole.

Other advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention with the fish hooks thereof in their retracted position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the subject shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 3, but illustrating the fish hooks in their projected positions; and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 5-5 in Figure 4.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specication and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a fish bait, designated generally by the reference character I0, the same embodying in its construction the main body portion I2 and what may be referred to as a companion body portionv I4 which is depressibly mounted on the body portion I2 by being pivotally connected thereto as at I6.

The body portion I2 is provided with a chamber or cavity I8 and the body portion I4 is convexoconcave so as to provide a further chamber or cavity 20 in communication with the cavity I8, as is best shown in Figure 5. A shaft 22 extends transversely through the cavity I8 and is rotatably journaled in the side portions of the main body portion i2, the end portions of the shaft 22 projecting laterally from the main body portion l2 and being formed with apertures in which are secured suitable fish hooks 24. These iish hooks are swingable from retracted positions shown in Figures 1 and 2 to projected, operative positions shown in Figure 4, and the sides of the body portion l2 are relieved, as at 26, to accommodate the fish hooks in their retracted positions, substantially as shown.

An intermediate portion of the shaft 22 is provided With a pair of spaced, radially projecting fingers 28 which are disposed in the cavity I8 and are engaged by forked end portions 30 of a leaf spring 32 which is secured to the main body portion I2, as at 34.

By virtue of this arrangement the hooks 24 are urged from their retracted positions shown in Figures 1 and 2 to their projected, operative positions, as illustrated in Figure 4. However, means are also provided for releasably retaining the fish hooks 24 in their retracted positions, these means including a radially extending detent 36 provided on the shaft 22 between the aforementioned ngers 30, this detent normally abuttingthe lower end portion of a hook shaped stop 38 secured to the depressible body portion I4, as at 40.

In effect, the upper end portion of the stop 38 is formed integrally with a lateral projection 42 which the securing means 40 engage, the stop 38 extending downwardly into the cavity I8 and engaging the detent 36 when the hooks 24 are retracted, as has already been explained.

However, by simply depressing the body portion I4 in the direction of the arrow 44, the lower end portion of the stop 38 is shifted into a depression 46 with which the cavity I8 is provided, thereby disengagng the stop from the detent 3,5 and permitting the shaft 22 to rotate under the action of the spring 32 as shown at 48 in Figure 1, so as to lower the hooks 24 from their retracted to their projected, operative positions, as shown.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that when the invention is placed in use and is preset with the hooks 24 in their retracted positions, the lure may be drawn through water without the sh hooks becoming entangled With Weeds since the sh hooks will be virtually unobtrusive. However, when a sh'endeavors to swallow the bait, the body portion I4 will be depressed, as shown at 44, and the hooks 24 will be projected into catching engagement with the mouth of the fish, thereby catching the same.

The body portion I4 is normally urged `to its undepressed position by means of a leaf spring 50, one end portion of which is secured, as at 52, to the body portion l2 While its remainingend portion bears against the under surface of the Aprojection 42 Aof the stop-38, as 'is best shown in Figures 3 and 4.

vItshould be alsoexplained that a pair of Vbearinglplates 54 are suitably secured to the body V:portion i2 in order to retain the rotatable shaft 22 .in position, removal of .these bearing plates (afterremoval'of the body portion i4) iacilitating removal of the shaft .[22 together with the fingers 28 and the vdetent 35, :forpurposes-of adjustment, Vservicing .or replacement, as the 4case may be.

It is believed that the advantages and features of the invention will be clearly apparent `from -the vforegoing disclosura'and accordingly, further :description thereof at this point 'is deemed unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A iish bait comprising a main body portion and depressible companion body portion pivotally connected thereto, a rotatable shaft extending transversely through said main body portion, a pair of sh hooks secured to the ends of said shaft and adapted for swinging from retracted positions adjacent the sides o f said main body portion to projected operative positions, means 'including a resilient member v4for projecting said hooks, a radially extending detent on said shaft, and a hook-shaped stop secured to said companion body portion and extending into said main body portion, said stop being releasably engageableby said ydetent to retain said hooks in their retracted positions against the action of said resilient member.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient member comprises a leaf spring secured atfone end to said main body portion,

together with a radially'projccting n'ger onsaid shaft, the remaining end of said spring bearing Vagainstsaid nger.

JAY B. RUDY.

REFERENCES ,CITED The following references tare of recordzin .the

vle .of this :patent: 

